Railway Industry in France

TGV 1

1. Industry Overview:

In France, one of the most popular transport modes is train.  SNCF is France’s national railway, providing high speed, overnight and local services in France and beyond into Spain, Switzerland and Italy.

>> http://www.tgv-europe.com/en

Types of Train in France:

01-TGV

02-Lunea

03-Teoz

04-TER

06-Intercites

Railway industry is quite similar to airline industry, as it sells seats for a transport from an origin to a destination. The price depends on journey, class, and date of booking. Thus, railway industry can be placed in Quadrant 2, where its service has variable prices for a predictable duration. This industry also has the appropriate characteristics to apply revenue management strategies. Those characteristics are:

– Inflexible capacity: the number of seats on a train is fixed

– Variable and uncertain demand: the demand is different depending on the time of day, day of week, origin-destination pairs, and purpose of travel

– Perishable inventory: the unoccupied seat cannot be inventoried, and the revenue of that seat is missed

– Low marginal cost and high production cost

– Product can be sold in advance

– Heterogeneous customers with different segments, varying by age, purpose of travel, independent or group, etc.

However, there are some differences that make the revenue management of railway industry is little bit different than that of airline industry.

More difficult to forecast demand and to have the accurate number of travelers on a service: no check-in procedure, open tickets (rail pass) generally allow passengers to travel on any rail service, walk up tickets are very common (a large number of passengers purchase their tickets on the day from the station)

Less difficult to deal with overbooking: passengers are often allowed to stand during train journeys hence increasing capacity beyond the number of seats

———

 2. Space

Railway industry defines space implicitly.

Normally, a train has two classes: Economy (2nd Class) and Comfort (1st Class). The seating options and services are different for each class. The price is same for different seating options in a class.

 Economy Class:
01-Class2
 Comfort Class:

01-Class 1

Trains, especially TGV has “TGV bar”, which provides a wide selection of meals and sweet snacks available for purchase. Additionally, the TGV bar offers films on DVD, magazines, games for children, Paris Metro tickets, even USB sticks for purchase. There is also a rolling snack cart that comes to the customers’ seats.

01-TGV Bar

For additional revenue, TGV offers Premium service includes 1st Class seat, meal service, and access to the TGV lounge at the train stations.

Personally, I would charge difference fares for different seating options in each class. A group will want to pay more to have a Club 4 seat. A couple will want the Duo seat or Club 2 seat. And an individual traveler will want a solo seat. As the number of seat are fixed, we can charge for each option, rather than a “first comes first served” policy.

I’m also thinking about a mini-cinema on train, especially overnight train. Normally, the overnight train have load factor less than 80%, so the train can use one car to transform into a mini-cinema with a projector and a screen. When the train is busy, the car will be transformed in normal guest car again.

——

3. Time

Railway industry defines time implicitly.

Although the duration of a journey is determined, the railway industry sells a journey rather than specifically selling time. In addition, there may be issues that cause the increase/decrease in duration of the journey.

However, the railway industry also tries to sell time explicitly with the Rail pass. With Rail pass, customers can have unlimited travel on the national rail network of France for a fixed number of days. The choices are 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9-day pass within a one-month period. Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively.  Thus, the fare becomes rate-per-day, not anymore rate-per-trip.

>> http://www.raileurope.com/rail-tickets-passes/france-pass/index.html

The industry can sell time explicitly by providing Rail pass with weekly or monthly unit. However, I think it will not be effective as it makes the demand forecasting much more complicated.  Half-day unit won’t make sense as a trip is normally more than 3 hours.

——–

4. Price

Tickets can be purchased 60 to 120 days in advance depending on the route.

Ticket discounts are based on advance purchase, availability, and certain restrictions. Everyone is eligible to receive discounted fares by purchasing an Economy or Comfort class ticket in advance. Youth and seniors can enjoy specific discounts as well. Discounted tickets are available for youth (under 26 of age), seniors (age 60 and over) and children (generally ages 4-11) but should be verified with each product.

Price at 1 week before departure
01-Price-1st class-10AM-1wk

Price at 2 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-2wk

Price at 3 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-3wk

Price at 4 weeks before departure

01-Price-1st class-10AM-4wk

Normally, prices are reduced for 1or 2 week-advanced purchase, slightly reduced for 3-week-advanced purchased, and stay same for more-than-4-week-advanced purchase.

The physical rate fences are the classes:
01-Booking-Class

 

The non-physical rate fences are age, season ticket, and loyalty

01-Booking-Rate Fences-1

01-Booking-Rate Fences-2

01-Booking-Rate Fences-3

01-Booking-Rate Fences-4

As the rate fences are now already too sophisticated, I would rather consolidate these fences than create new fences to confuse customers.

 

(-Thao Ly)

——–

References:

http://www.raileurope.com

http://www.tgv-europe.com

http://www.sncf.co.uk/

Amstrong and Messneir, 2010. Railway revenue management: Overview and Methods

Schroeder, Braun, and Schnieder. Revenue management in the railway industry

 

167,347 thoughts on “Railway Industry in France

  1. I have a hard time describing my thoughts on content, but I really felt I should here. Your article is really great. I like the way you wrote this information. voyance

  2. Menguasai semua permainan tetap di situs judi bola terpercaya bisa semakin membuka kesempatan kemenangan serta potensi yang baik untuk bisa menghasilkan uang secara mudah dan cepat hanya bermain game bola online di situs terpercaya bisa mendapatkan income takterbatas. mobile sbobet

    Permainan judi bola yang sangat terpopuler banyak dimainkan oleh seluruh bettor adalah situs judi bola mobile sbobet dimana situs judi bola yang satu ini sangatlah menarik tentu kalian bisa bergabung dengan sangat mudah dan bisa bermain seperti para member lainya. mobile sbobet

    Situs resmi mobile sbobet ini sudah memiliki lisensi resmi dari PAGCOR sehingga sangatlah aman apabila kalian bermain taruhan bola online di situs resmi mobile sbobet ini. Sudah di lengkapi dengan layanan Customer Service 24 jam non stop mampu menjawab segala pertanyaan yang para member ingin tanyakan tentang seputar permainan yang ada di mobile sbobet resmi Indonesia.

  3. Top-quality Barber Clipper at affordable prices. Hair Appliances manufacturer and supplier. Newly Design Hair Trimmer Cutting Machine Beard Barber Razor For Men Style Tools Wireless Barber Shop Tools. Ubeator

  4. Top-quality Barber Clipper at affordable prices. Hair Appliances manufacturer and supplier. Newly Design Hair Trimmer Cutting Machine Beard Barber Razor For Men Style Tools Wireless Barber Shop Tools. Ubeator

  5. Wonderful blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it. CV checker Rotterdam

  6. Қазақстандық ойыншыларға арналған ең жақсы букмекерлік кеңсе – Мостбет. Mostbet Қазақстан веб-сайтында немесе мобильді қосымшада спортқа, киберспортқа, онлайн казиноға және т.б. бәс тігу. Әрбір ойыншы тегін айналдыру және тегін ставкалар, кэшбэк, адалдық бағдарламасына қатысу алады. Жаңадан бастағандар бірінші депозит үшін бонус алады – соманың 200% дейін. Тіркел және ұтып ал!

  7. Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!! ambbet

  8. I am so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc. hidden wiki

  9. Thanks for a very interesting blog. What else may I get that kind of info written in such a perfect approach? I’ve a undertaking that I am simply now operating on, and I have been at the look out for such info. สล็อต ยู ฟ่า 888

  10. स्पोर्ट्स बेटिंग और कैसिनो बेटिंग भारत के खिलाड़ियों के लिए हमेशा सर्वश्रेष्ठ Mostbet IN बुकमेकर के साथ उपलब्ध है। साइट पर रजिस्टर करें या मोबाइल एप्लिकेशन डाउनलोड करें, खेलें और शानदार बोनस प्राप्त करें: पहली जमा राशि के लिए 200% तक, मुफ्त मुफ्त स्पिन और मुफ्त दांव, नकदी वापस। अधिक दांव – अधिक बोनस!

  11. Since beginning, HP Printers has been perhaps of the best quality printer and solid, tough gadgets out there. It has made individuals’ work extremely simple very much like the Internet. Building simplicity of work and public help for clients all over the planet. Be that as it may, as we as a whole comprehend, this is an electronic machine, and issues with HP printers will be regular and certain. There are focuses when a client might encounter HP Officejet Pro 8600 Printer Failure
    .

  12. That definitely possibly an amazing organize i always in truth definitely relished checking out. It’s not necessarily specifically frequent i always add some choice to identify a selected matter. Crypto Insurance

  13. Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.gta88

  14. Easily this fabulous website may perhaps it goes without saying be well-known within many blog persons, with the aware articles or reviews or perhaps opinions. Asia cup live

  15. I admire this article for the well-researched content and excellent wording. I got so involved in this material that I couldn’t stop reading. I am impressed with your work and skill. Thank you so much. https://www.918kisspg.com

  16. O’zbekistondagi eng yaxshi bukmekerlik va kazino – Mostbet. Bu yerda siz sportga pul tikishingiz, jonli krupier bilan o’ynashingiz, lotereyada jekpotni urishingiz va qo’shimcha bonuslarga ega bo’lishingiz mumkin: cashback, bepul tikish, bepul aylanishlar, shuningdek, birinchi depozit bonusi. Onlayn yoki mobil ilovada pul tiking va yutib oling!

  17. One of the best bookmakers for UK players is Mostbet. Sports betting, online casinos, lotteries and much more are available to everyone. The bookmaker is famous for its bonus program: each new player receives a bonus for the first deposit to his account, and the most active users receive cashback, free spins, bet insurance, and more. Register on the website or in the mobile application and place a bet!

  18. One of the best bookmakers for UK players is Mostbet. Sports betting, online casinos, lotteries and much more are available to everyone. The bookmaker is famous for its bonus program: each new player receives a bonus for the first deposit to his account, and the most active users receive cashback, free spins, bet insurance, and more. Register on the website or in the mobile application and place a bet!

  19. Are you a doctor or nurse with Swedish, Finnish or Norwegian license and want to work in Norway? Visit http://www.bonliva.no to see available vacancies. Bonliva offers long and short term assignments in hospitals and primary care units. We will provide free housing as well as travel expenses for our nurses and doctors.

    Lege

  20. เกมอันดับหนึ่งตลอดกาลหารายได้ออนไลน์ครบจบในที่เดียว สล็อต pg เป็นที่นิยมจากทั่วทุกมุมโลกที่ให้ความสนใจเป็นอย่างมาก

  21. Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! ทางReview slot 1 baht

  22. Hayvanların sağlıklarıyla ilgili bir sorunla karşılaşıldığında ilk gidilmesi gereken yer veterinerlerdir. Veterinerler hayvanların sağlıklarıyla ilgilenen teşhis ve tedavi noktasında müdahale edebilecek tek kişilerdir. Bunun için herhangi bir hayvana sahip olduğunuzda onun sağlığını ön planda tutmalı ve aşılarından tutun da düzenli olarak sağlık kontrolünü yapmanız gerekir.
    Site : https://probed.com.tr/tr/veteriner-malzemeleri

  23. I have noticed that car insurance organizations know the cars which are at risk of accidents and various risks. Additionally, these people know what type of cars are susceptible to higher risk as well as the higher risk they have got the higher the premium price. Understanding the basic basics with car insurance will assist you to choose the right style of insurance policy that may take care of your needs in case you happen to be involved in any accident. Appreciate your sharing your ideas with your blog. Dramacool

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *